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Cyberbullying–a growing public health problem

Cyberbullying happens when one uses online communication to harrass, post disparaging remarks, or threaten someone via the Internet or by texting. Because it reaches an unlimited audience (unlike face-to-face bullying) its consequences can be extreme. Cyberbullying is particularly rampant among adolescents—95% of whom are connected to the Internet. A new publication in Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics explores the literature on cyberbullying and suggests that it has become an international public health concern especially for teens. While there is little about sex differences in current publications, the author, Charissse Nixon, recommends that future studies on this topic take a closer look at how it might be different in girls and boys.